Moisture Content Explained

Our logs don’t leave the yard until they pass the test!

What does the moisture content mean?

Moisture content is an effective measure of how well the wood will burn. Soggy, unseasoned wood will smoke and cause your flu to become lined with tar and soot, reducing its effectiveness and also making it a very real chimney fire risk. Here at Elcombe Fire & Wood we guarantee that all our seasoned wood has a moisture content of less than 25%, so you can be assured of a hearty, roaring fire.

Why is it important to buy dry wood?

35%-45% of the weight of freshly felled wood is water and trying to burn it will produce steam rather than heat. Drying or “seasoning” reduces the moisture content of the wood. Wood should be seasoned before it is burned and the moisture content reduced to at least 25%. The lower the moisture content, the better the wood will burn. As well as producing little heat, burning wood that has not been properly seasoned can result in tar deposits in the chimney and smoky, rather than clean burning fires.